Puppy Days
by WinterShadow
Summary: One morning, Ion and Mirka find a puppy in the Empress's bedroom with the ruler nowhere to be found, one that looks very similar and even responds to Seth's name.Elsewhere,the Vatican and Rosenkreuz also find themselves in a similar predicament. Complete!
1. A Morning Surprise

**A.N:**** I've been searching for this in my journals for a few days now and I've been told several times to post this by my friends. So enjoy.**

**Puppy Days**

This was so unlike her! It was so unlike her Majesty to be late!

Mirka paced uneasily. Her golden hair hung in her eyes as she eyed the floor. Not too far away, her grandson, Ion, seemed puzzled as well.

They seemed to have been waiting for at least half an hour before Ion broke the anxious silence.

"That's it!" he growled impatiently as he began to storm towards her Majesty's personal chamber," I'm going to get her myself,"

The duchess had a fleeting thought to stop him but shrugged it off. She probably just overslept. It was understandable with such a stressful role. Besides, the Empress didn't bite, did she?

"Ow! It bit me!"

Mirka blinked at her grandson's distant yelp. That was a strange coincidence, but what was this 'it' that he shrieked of? Had a beast of some sort snuck into the palace?

Her question was about to be answered…

"Grandmother, you are not going to believe this…"

Ion reappeared from the hall and came running up to her, all the while carrying something small and black carefully in his arms. Once he was closer she realized it was a dog, a cute, ebony dog with wide green eyes; it looked up at her in a daze.

"I found it in her Majesty's room," It was scratching at the door," Ion explained, glancing down at the canine," But I couldn't find the Empress…"

There was a strange tone in the boy's voice. Even stranger was when the dog looked up at the word 'Empress'; tail wagging and ears erect.

Curious, the duchess tried another name," Your Majesty?" she called softly.

Ion gave her a weird look, but it soon turned to surprise; the little thing pricked its ears again, its intelligent eyes on her.

Okay…this was getting weird…

Ion and Mirka exchanged shocked glances before the earl tried his hand," Seth?" he breathed, half in growing bewilderment.

To their surprise, the dog turned its head to look and him and tilted her head cutely. Realization struck Mirka and she swallowed nervously.

"Ion…" she breathed shakily," I think I know what happened to the Empress…"

**A.N:**** I know, short first chapter. The others will be a bit longer. Yes, Seth has been turned into a puppy, and she's not the only one; her brothers will soon join her. Insert evil laugh here Anyway, please R&R.**


	2. The Vatican Rover

**A.N:****Second chapter of this story today…This time, we're checking in on Abel. Insert evil laugh here**

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**The Vatican Rover**

"Father Nightroad!"

Ester called through the sturdy wooden door and knocked briefly.

No answer…Strange…was he sick?

Concerned, she grasped the handle and quietly opened the door.

"Father? Are you alright?"

The nun peered inside the somewhat tidy room. The silver-haired priest was nowhere to be found. Or so she thought…

She turned to leave when sudden movement under the covers of the bed startled her. She stopped to watch the 'phantom' warily. Whatever it was wiggled and growled beneath the light material. From the shape and sound of it, Ester guessed it was some sort of canine and a fairly big one…

The redhead stood frozen by the door, uncertain and a bit afaird. But as her curiosity grew her caution shrunk and she slowly walked towards the struggling lump. Her pounded with anticipation and tension as she approached the bed creature with a trembling outreached hand. She paused mere inches from the bed. Ester watched as the beast continued to writhe within the covers, snorting in annoyance.

With a deep breath, she moved to grasp the fabric. The creature underneath halted for a moment and sniffed, perhaps sensing her presence and fear. Just when she was about to yank the covers off, a thought came to mind, a strange one…

"Father Nightroad? Is that…you?" she asked quietly.

The wiggling stopped and a friendly whimper came. Slightly assured, she pulled off the blanket.

Crystal blue eyes stared up at her. But it wasn't the priest…

A medium sized dog lay sleepily on the pillow, its silver grey fur glinting in the morning light. Its large paws were crossed as it lifted its great head and a fluffy tail was tucked up beside it. Its intelligent eyes gazed up at her and its tail began to wag.

A thunderous bark echoed in the small room and, before Ester knew it, she was pinned under the canine's weight. The nun stared in a daze up at the oversized snowball that sat on top of her. It seemed happy to see her, its tail pounded the floor, as it loomed, panting over her.

There was something rather familiar about this particle dog…

Just then, a cook walked in carrying a tray of tea. He blinked at the sight but glanced past them. He seemed to be looking for someone.

"Father Nightroad? I have your morning tea," he called into the otherwise lifeless room.

Suddenly, the canine's ears stood up and so did the dog; its blue eyes were fixed on the unsuspecting man.

"Uh oh…" was all the poor victim could say before he was tackled by a blur of white fur.

The cups shattered on the floor and the piping hot tea flooded the floor. But it didn't go to waste…

At once, the dog began licking up the sweet liquid, but not before nosing in a heap of sugar. On the floor, Ester blinked.

Maybe it was Father Nightroad…

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**A.N** Kay, this chapter was longer, and the others will be too. I'll try to update regularly since I got a bit of it written down already. R&R 


	3. Doggy Lord

**A.N:**** Yet another chapter tonight. Wohoo! Well, the chapters are short anyway, but entertaining. Cain's up next…evil grin**

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****

**Doggy Lord**

"Lord? Lord Cain, are you in there?"

Dietrich knocked at his master's door cautiously.

A tired whimper rumbled through the door. The brunette heard something trot quickly across the carpet. Surprised, the terran opened the door, bracing himself for possible scolding.

None came but a sleepy growl greeted him. Dietrich glanced down to see a golden retriever glaring at him with droopy blue eyes.

"Lord Cain?"

To his surprise, the dog just trotted past him. He could only stare in shock as the beast strolled past the other Rosen Kreutz without flinching. The dog only stopped when it came to Cain's throne.

To the Orden's further surprise, the golden furball leapt gracefully onto the fine chair. It then sat there, proud and straight, as if it was his.

Just then, Issak came up beside him, staring at the animal in confusion. Meanwhile, Dietrich glanced at him accusingly.

"Issak…" he growled and crossed his arms. He scowled at the vampire but the man looked innocent," What did you do this time?"

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**A.N Even shorter chapter then the last. Sorry. But I'm switching between the three. And no, Issak didn't do anything. Dietrich's just pointing a finger at a logical suspect…R&R**


	4. Head Over Paws

**A.N:**** Fourth chapter coming up. Once again, we're checking up on Seth. Just because you asked, Abel is a sort of husky and I'm not matching the dogs to the crusniks cause of personality but on what seems to fit them physically and hair color wise.**

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**Head over Paws**

Was it just her or did everything grow over night? And turn black and white? And why were Ion and Mirka staring at her like that?

"Seth, is that you?" Ion questioned in shock.

Seth glared at him from her throne, which also seemed to have grown. She had to admit she was getting annoyed. They were acting like she had grown another head or something. Wait, she didn't, did she? She glanced around hastily and her fears were put to rest.

But why did she suddenly have the urge to chase her tail? Wait…she didn't have a tail…And why did she feel…furry? Maybe puberty was finally kicking in…

Whatever the case, the duchess and the earl continued to stare. They seemed speechless in shock.

Shock about what?

A sudden ebony object fell into her sight, something fluffy, laying right next to her. So, she did the first thing that came to mind. She bit it, however strange…

A yelp immediately escaped her; it felt like she had just bit herself. But that couldn't be possible, could it?

Confused, she glanced up at Mirka for answers. The woman just stared at her as if she didn't know what to make of her.

Okay, that was it!  
"Just what are you staring at?" Seth growled but it literally came out as a growl, no words attracted.

Her hand shot to her mouth in surprise, but now even her hand felt funny. She glanced down and her green eyes widened in shock:

It wasn't a hand…It was a…paw! What was going on? Was this a dream?

Hastily, she looked herself over. To her horror, she was no longer a cute little girl, she wasn't even human!

Small, feeble paws took the place of her hands and feet and a tail poked out from her tail bone:

She was a puppy!

Terror seized her. This couldn't be happening!

Overwhelmed, she fainted on the spot, tiny paws in the air…

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**A.N:**** Fourth chapter done. The Abel and Seth chapters will be longer then Cain's (sorry Cain fans). BTW, there is no real reason they turned into puppies, just a random mishap sweatdrop, and they will turn back at the end. We'll check up on Abel next. R&R**


	5. Joy Ride

**A.N:**** Fifth chapter coming up. This time we're checking up on Abel. This one will be a bit longer, so enjoy…**

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**J****oy Ride**

"Abel Nightroad, get back here this instant!"

Ester's yell pained his sensitive ears now more then ever. Yet, he kept running.

This was too good of an opportunity to pass up!

He dashed though the Vatican, leaving behind a trail of chaos and confusion as he went.

Abel knew he was a dog but, truthfully, he didn't mind. He knew it wouldn't last forever so he decided to enjoy being wild while he could.

"Father! Stop!" Ester whined as she struggled not to get left behind.

The breeze ruffled his new fur and whistled in his pointed ears. The marble of the Vatican felt coolly smooth under his padded limbs; his nails sadly scratched and clicked against the fine stone. A lovely white tail trailed behind him, swaying with his every move.

Excitement seized the priest as he neared the AX. He couldn't wait to see their reactions!

Just as he turned the corner, he ran into and startled the unsuspecting Professor. His green eyes widened and his mouth hung open, abandoning his flimsy pipe, as the great white flash nearly knocked him over. His fellow priest screamed and ducked out of the way.

"Ahhh! Attack of the Canis lupis!"

Abel ran past him without pause, leaving him collapsed and bewildered, on the ground. The dog panted as he neared Lady Caterina's office.

Further along he spotted two more of his teammates.

Hugue and Leon strolled along the hallway, mellow and oblivious; at least until the red headed nun, behind him yelled a warning.

"Father Leon, Hugue, look out!"

Startled, the two whirled around just in time to get trampled under his furry paws. It was only then that he stopped, if only for a moment.

He stood on the shocked men, panting and grinning. They, on the other hand, didn't even recognize him; they only stared with wide eyes.

"Father Nightroad, look what you've done!" Ester attempted to scold him but he bounded off again.

Behind him, the two picked themselves up and could only gaze after him in confusion.

Now, only several corners from Caterina, Abel became increasingly excited. His tail began to wag against the breeze. He whipped around corners eagerly as he got closer, startling various unknown clergymen.

But several feet from the door, the door flung open and a glowing red eye fixed on him. Tres stood in the way, guns ready and not looking too happy.

"Mission objective: eliminate threat…"

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**A.N: Cain's next with a funny, yet short, installment. R&R**


	6. Pain in the Tail

**A.N:**** Sixth chapter now. This time we're checking up on Cain once more…**

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**Pain in the Tail**

"My lord, please hold still," Isaak huffed in frustration.

But Cain seemed to have other plans…

The blond dog squirmed and yipped in his grasp, trying just as hard to break free as Isaak was trying to get a leash on him.

He knew the crusnik would probably kill him for this when he finally changed back but he needed to keep him so that he wouldn't run off. He didn't want his master to get hit by a car or anything.

Or did he?

A sudden vice clamped onto his rear," YOWOCH!" Isaak screeched, leaping up.

The vice released him and he rubbed his sore rear painfully. Once the soreness passed, the Methuselah glared at the culprit:  
The dog sat there, panting and looking ever so innocent. However, there were signs that proved otherwise. The canine wore a smug dog grin and a chunk of the cloth from his pants rested in his jaws.

Isaak sighed.

Man, looking after their dog-turned master was going to be a real pain in the ass…

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**A.N:**** Yet another short chapter and I apologize. Yet, I did warn you about the Cain chapters but later on there will be longer chapters for him (I hope). Next is Seth. See how Ion and Mirka deal with their puppy Empress. R&R**


	7. Sleepy Puppy

**A.N:**** 7****th**** chapter coming up. Originally, this chapter was supposed to be 6****th**** but I changed the order to keep the pattern. Its Seth's turn now…**

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**  
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**Sleepy Puppy**

"Seth...wakey, wakey, eggs and baky..."

The dog's ears twitched cutely and her green eyes fluttered open. Seth yawned with mouth wide and eyes sleepy.

Ion couldn't help but notice how adorable she looked as a puppy.

She lifted her little head and blinked at him in a tired daze. She then turned her head to gaze at Mirka and yawned again.

His grandmother beamed," Aww…she's so cute!"

Ion then stood up from under the table. A fine plate rested on top of it, filled with fresh, juicy bacon.

He wondered if Seth was hungry; he grabbed a strip and broke a piece off. He then returned under the table and offered it to the drowsy pup. Seth sniffed it eagerly, perhaps enticed by the delious smell.

He figured she wasn't completely awake; if she was she'd probably be freaking at her present condition. After a couple sniffs, the small dog accepted his offer and took the piece. She ate it quickly, licking her lips repeatedly.

"Ion!" one of the servants scolded," I don't know where you got it but you don't feed the dog at the table,"

The earl looked at the young woman with slight wonder, wondering if she knew the ' it ' that she was talking about was the Empress.

This was going to be one strange experience. But hell! He'd always wanted a pet!

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**A.N: A little longer then the last one. The chapters are longer in my notebook, I swear! Next: Abel. We find out what fate Tres has in store for him. Insert Evil Laughter here R&R**


	8. Dodging Bullets

**A.N:****Alright, chapter 8. I'll be glad to get this out of the way so Crusnik 02 can stop nagging me…See if Abel can survive being pursued by Gunslinger…**

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**Dodging Bullets**

"Father Nightroad!" Ester called after him for the twentieth time.

Like before, he ignored her and kept running. She knew he was heading for Lady Caterina's office and she couldn't help but wonder what her reaction would be to Abel's sudden change.

When Abel knocked Father Leon and Hugue over she had no choice but to keep after him. She could only yell her apology as she passed the bewildered duo.

But as soon as she rounded the last corner, a terrified yelp reached her ears as well as the barking of bullets being fired. Tres, no doubt…

Sure enough, the dog priest came sprinting around the corner, fleeing, for his dear life, from the death bent android.

Startled, Ester froze in time to have the living snowball dash past her. The nun caught the look of terror on the canine's face. No more then a second later, Tres came storming after him. Ester squealed and ducked as his bullets trailed hazardously close to striking her.

Despite her distress, the android just ran right past her, his aloof face stern, his brown eyes set. He quickly disappeared after the terrified pup. Alarmed, Ester shot up and went after him, only to trail by a mile; Abel and Tres were both designed for battle and therefore were sadly several times faster then her.

"Father Tres, stop it!" She yelled after him, her skinny legs struggling to continue the chase.

But he, of course, didn't listen. By now, the two were long gone. Exhausted, Ester gave up and attempted to catch her breath.

The echoes of the bullets returned and so did the priests!

A yelp reached her ears and Abel came barreling around the corner with Tres' bullets biting at his heels. Not willing to be ran over, the redhead stepped out the way. They flew past her and straight towards Caterina's door.

Just then, the door opened and the cardinal stepped out. The blond seemed to understand at once what was happening.

Ester watched as the silver fur ball made a beeline for the duchess, knowing that she was his savior. Yet, the android still didn't halt. He kept chasing his target at least until Abel managed to hide behind their leader.

"Tres, stop right there," she ordered calmly.

At once, Gunslinger gave up his pursuit, stopping where he was," Mission aborted. Returning to base," he informed in monotone.

Both Ester and the canine let out a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, Lady Caterina reached down to pet Abel's furry head affectionately. The Crusnik arched into it eagerly and began kicking blissfully, his paw thumping against the marble.

"Oh, Abel," Caterina murmured, half fond, half annoyed," How'd you get yourself into this one?"

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**A.N:**** Next chapter might take a while…**


	9. Runaway Blond

**A.N:**** 9****th**** chapter of Puppy Days. This little story is starting to near its end. Cain's up next.**

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**Runaway Blond**

"Master please, calm down!"

Dietrich struggled with the golden retriever that, just a day ago, had been their leader. Now, he was a furry handful, not to mention surprisingly energetic; he was jumping at their front door, his long, and luckily, strong, leash the only thing restraining him from perhaps busting through it.

Cain's nails scratched at the wood and he yipped with impatience. Issak stood at the terran's back, worried. Both of them dreaded what would happen if they let the Crusnik loose in this condition.

Clutching the leash tightly, Dietrich reached for the doorknob and opened the door slowly. Daylight greeted them but they didn't have long to regard it. The dog tensed and leapt out of doorway, not holding back an inch. A howl rang through the air as he dashed across the seaside terrain. The boy was yanked along as the leash threatened to either burn or rip his hand off. Luckily, neither occurred; instead he was dragged along the ground unpleasantly. Issak could only watch helplessly from inside as his fellow member was pulled off towards what he swore was Byzantium…

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**A.N:**** Sorry about yet another short chapter. Once again, the story is reaching its climax. See what happens when the three crusniks meet. Next: See how Ion deals with trying to walk the Empress…insert evil laugh here R&R**


	10. Wraith of the Empress

**A.N:**** Chapter 10: Time to check up on Seth. How will Ion handle trying to walk her Majesty? Lets just say Seth will be more of a handful then the earl first thought.**

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Wraith of the Empress

"Are you sure you can handle her?"

His grandmother gazed down at him with worry. He flashed her an easy smile, his hands fidgeting with the fine leash.

"Don't worry. I'm sure she'll be an angel," Ion assured, glancing down at the rather restless Seth.

The dog would turn her head, every once and a while, to nip at the foreign item around her tiny neck. Mirka had found her a luxurious collar, fitting her status, and somehow managed to convince or trick the canine into wearing it. And to throw salt in the pup's wounds, a matching leash was now clipped onto the emerald collar.

Despite his assurance, the duchess still seemed uncertain, " I'm not sure. She doesn't seem very happy," she observed with a hint of inner knowing, " She's a clever girl. There's a good chance she'll end up getting you back…"

Ion snorted lightly, "We'll be fine. Don't worry about it…" he assured confidently.

Despite that, Mirka still looked unsure. Yet, she said nothing. She only nodded, giving him the go ahead.

With a somewhat proud smile, Ion tugged gently at the leash. Seth obeyed and began to walk as he did. Even as a dog, she was still a creature of grace and dignity; she trotted beside him gracefully, her cute head high.

Maybe he was right. She was just fine with this.

The sun shone brightly upon the capital and many people strolled about but it was still far from crowded. It seemed nothing could go wrong…

At least until he turned the corner:

A mischievous glint leapt into Seth's eyes. Her tiny body tensed and Ion knew he was in trouble, big trouble.

"What are-?" Ion attempted to ask but the dog suddenly took off, pulling him with her.

The boy cried out in panic as Seth dragged him quite roughly down the street. The canine pulled him hard enough that his feet were no longer touching the ground; he was reduced to a dead weight flying behind the sprinting pup.

People stared at them in astonishment as they blew by, whipping around corners and hurtling down streets.

Her strength was surprising for a petite creature, and so was her speed and endurance. She seemed to having quite a blast as she dragged him through the city. Finally, he managed to get his voice to work.

"Seth! Stop!" He shrieked past the racing wind. But she ignored him completely and kept running. This time, he had had enough, "Stop, you miserable mutt!"

This appeared to strike a cord in Seth. But unfortunately, it wasn't to his advantage:

The little black dog gave a livid growl and yanked harder before changing her path. Ion's eyes widened in horror when he saw where she was leading him:

A pole; she was going to run him into it.

"No, no, no! Please, don't, don't!" The blond begged, still helpless blowing in the breeze, " Don't do it! I'm sorry! I'm-"

Too late…

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**A.N:**** Sorry about the delay in updating but I haven't been able to get on my computer in the past two weeks. This little humorous short is close to its end. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please R&R ****  
**


	11. Pup Brother and Sister

**Pup Brother and Sister  
**

"Why here?"

Ester gazed off in awe as Byzantium loomed in the distance. Abel, silver and furry, stared at it as well, panting. She got no answer from him; he just continued to pick his way over the terrain.

The red head followed him hesitantly; she swore she heard Dietrich screaming several miles off. It was probably just another fantasy rearing its charming head. The air was warm and smelt of salt and the waves danced; pulling away before falling into the arms of the cliff side.

She had always loved it here, though it was not her own country and she had once thought of this place as a country of darkness; the home of the vampires. Though, now Ester thought differently, very much so. She had made friends here with surprising ease, never caring that they were Methuselahs, seeing them as humans, people with homes, emotions, dreams and, fears. At these thoughts, the nun pondered how Ion was doing, and if possibly, this case of the 'Dogs' wasn't a single case.

The strange duo made their way into the city, earning strange glances. What they didn't know was that Ion and apparently 'super' dog came plowing through here earlier. In fact, they were still nearby.

"Is that…Ion?" Ester wondered out loud, seeing the earl and several other nobles, consisting of Mirka and Asta.

The two duchesses seemed bemused by the sight of the Methuselah boy, and the newcomers didn't see why until they were closer:

Ion was being led by a cute black dog, a leash around his neck and the other end in the canine's mouth. The creature marched the utterly ruffled earl to the others proudly; the boy's hair was a mess and Ester swore there was red mark in the form of something similar to a pole in the middle of his face.

The nun didn't know what to make of it at first, and apparently, neither did the nobles; Asta seemed close to cracking up while Mirka continued to play the concerned grandmother.

"Ion, I told you she'd get you back,"

The blond groaned and Ester swore she heard the dog snicker, the dog that looked suspiciously familiar. Meanwhile, her own canine companion had trudged on without her, strolling closer to their friends. Suddenly, when they within a few yards, Abel let out an excited bark.

Everyone jumped; the smaller dog turned her head and spotted Abel. The black canine's tail then began to wag almost happily and she dropped 'Ion's leash' to bound up to the one who had called her.

Ester kept her eyes on the dogs curiously, even as she moved to join the other women. She then managed to look elsewhere, her gaze now on Ion.

"What happened to you?"

"Don't ask…"

The nun blinked, "Oh, alright,"

Asta snickered herself, watching the two pups that were now greeting each other like they were litter-mates, romping about each other, tail wagging and eyes bright. The duchess turned her amber eyes to Ester.

"Mirka tells me that pup is our Empress. Now that I look at her, and see what's she's done to Ion for treating her like a poodle, I don't doubt it an inch,"

So she was right. The dog 'incident' wasn't isolated. Ester blinked her blue eyes again and looked at Abel and the other dog, who was now identified.

"Seth?" She asked, almost in awe. She really never imagined seeing the empress as a dog. But now she had, "Cute…"

The canines stopped their play and tilted their heads at her, panting. Curious and allured by the promise of soft fur, Ester kneeled and beckoned the creatures.

"Come here, Seth, Abel. Come on…" She called sweetly. They came obediently, as if they couldn't help it. Abel rubbed up against her hand and she scratched his ears, "That's a good boy…Now, Seth?"

But the little dog was looking elsewhere and tense. Her black ears were up and erect, her tail still. The hairs on the back of the red head's neck stood on end as a threatening growl left the dog turned empress. Abel, who had been busy at the moment getting his tummy rubbed, lifted his head and sniffed the air. A snarl rumbled from his silver throat as he rose from the ground and moved to stand beside his sister.

Suddenly, screaming was heard that sounded oddly familiar, and the sound of panting and paws running against the paved street. A couple trashcans were knocked over. Several people had to literally jump out of the way, for the third sibling had arrived…

**A.N: ****The story is drawing closer to its end. How will the Crusniks fight each other as pups, if they fight at all? R&R plz  
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	12. Dog Pile

**A.N****: Guess what? This is the final chapter of Puppy Days. Thanks for reading…**

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**Dog Pile**

Tension was thick in the warm air. The new pup was stared down almost coldly by his siblings. The two duchesses, nun, and earl were still, unsure of what to do. However, they were sure no great harm would come from this confrontation. Even the bystanders that walked past, or stood nearby, were unconcerned.

Still...quiet, threatening snarling from the three canines kept them on their toes…

Cain knew he was outnumbered, and at the worst of times. He had no clue why a sudden instinct led him here, and it was clear that Abel was in the same boat. Somehow, both twins had been drawn to the city of their sister.

A feeble moan broke the isolated quiet. Dietrich shifted from his home on the pavement, shaken and bruised. The blond tried to ignore him. The others didn't; even Ester gazed at him with sympathy. The Terran groaned in pain, making quite the scene, and attempted to push himself up; he failed miserably. Cain rolled his eyes and huffed in annoyance before delivering a quick, firm paw to the boy's skull; his head met the ground once more as he conked back out.

With Dietrich soundly 'asleep', everyone's attention was now back on Cain fully. His siblings' eyes had remained on him the whole time; they obviously wanted him out, and whether he walked or was sent out in a body bag didn't matter to them, although, he knew they preferred the latter.

Content with the present situation, Cain snarled loudly at the furry duo, startling them briefly. Their bewilderment quickly melted and they answered similarly. This time, Cain was the one shaken, as their growls became twice as fierce as his snarl. It was clear they were furious about his presence.

Suddenly, he wasn't so sure about this; did they even have the ability to transform as pups? A sudden voice in his head, he presumed to be his new instincts, screamed at him to flee. He wondered if he should obey the instinct or the normal voices, which urged him to do the opposite.

As usual, he listened to the usual. With another snarl, he lunged at Abel. His brother let out a startled yelp and went down easy. The blond dog held his opponent down even though Abel struggled almost fiercely. Cain's blue eyes sparkled with supposed victory. He prepared to give his twin a good bite when a black furball shoved him off his feet with all its little weight.

His head rang slightly from hitting the ground but he shook it off. Furious himself, he turned on his responsible sister, who looked like she was starting to regret her actions, especially when he began to advance toward her while growing angrily.

Seth's jade eyes were wide with fear and her tiny body trembled. Small black ears were flattened against her head and her fluffy tail was tucked under her as she crouched to the ground, almost as if praying she would somehow disappear into the stone. He seemed to have the empress right where he wanted her…

Once more, his plans were thwarted; a jaw clamped onto his back leg. Cain yelped and quickly forgot his cornered sister. The blond turned once more on his twin, who was just climbing to his feet.

By now, the nobles and Ester were growing nervous. This little conflict seemed to be getting a little fierce. They didn't want anything to happen to Abel or Seth but they were almost afaird to interfere with this unusual fight.

Meanwhile, the brothers had engaged in a wrestling match, seeing who could successfully pin the other. Seth stood nearby ready to aid Abel if needed. The two tumbled about, almost looking like they were just playing.

Suddenly, Cain broke free and made a beeline away from his siblings. Confused, Abel could only stare after him for a moment, at least until Seth refocused his attention by doing what he should have been. The silver dog shook his head and growled as he took off with his sister after Cain.

Their little 'spectators' had to move fast to keep them in sight. They could tell that the blond was heading towards the palace, and could only imagine what chaos the pup trio would cause. Asta and Ion trailed after the canines closely while Ester and elderly Mirka sadly lagged.

People had to jump out of the way, or else risk being run over, strangely enough, by a golden lab, a silver husky, and a smaller and less noticed black husky. Cain's younger siblings tore after him, but he managed to stay ahead as he made a dash towards the palace. They raced past dozens of people but not one tried to stop them, except for when they reached the palace.

Two guards stood at the entrance and gaped at them with wide eyes as they came barreling through the crowd. Cain could tell they considered stopping them but when he gave a threatening bark they scrambled out of the way when they saw that the dogs weren't slowing down. With no more obstacles in their path, the Nightlords darted into the palace and filled its halls with yip, yelps, and barks. The blond was slightly disappointed that there were no innocent bystanders to spook or trample.

He wasn't sure exactly where he was going; his instincts had succeeded in persuading him. Cain was sure he was close to where his dog instincts wanted him to go. Behind him, his siblings were quieter and seemed to have lost some of their threatening intentions. The blond wasn't going to stop and ask why: Run for your life now, ask questions later…

Sunlight threw its cloak from an open door. '_There',_ Cain thought. He sprinted towards the exit, his siblings not far behind. He ran straight out, not stopping till he was near the center of the courtyard.

Before he could take it in, two bodies crashed into him; the blond hadn't realized how suddenly he had stopped. Now, all three of them laid in a dazed heap. Just then, Asta and Ion found them and both stopped and gave out an exhausted sigh of relief; as long as they had the little terrors in sight, they doubted things would get out of hand.

A couple seconds later, the canines had recovered from their three-dog collision; they shook themselves off and stood up. Cain momentarily forgot his danger and was still long enough to be jumped. He could only yelp in surprise when his twin tackled him; Seth yipped at him in excitement.

Fangs descended upon his body but didn't harm him. He opened his eyes in confusion when Abel, his brother that had vowed to kill him, only nipped at him playfully. To his further shock, Abel's tail wagged as he smiled a puppy smile, panting heavily.

Cain could only blink and stare up at him, stunned by the fact he wasn't being mauled. A sudden urge surged to the surface: the urge to play. He growled lightly and shoved Abel off of him before returning a tackle. Joining them, Seth jumped up onto Cain while he laid on top of a flattened Abel, resulting in a classic picture of a 'dog pile'.

Finally, Mirka and Ester had caught up, and their jaws practically dropped at the sight; this was a strange scene indeed: One brother worked for the Vatican as a priest, the other led the Rosen Cruetz, while their sister ruled the Empire.

The three romped peacefully without ill will. It was perhaps the most unusual part of this odd day. The Nightlords chased each other in swift games of tag. The sounds of their play echoed in the courtyard as yips, yelps, and playful growls.

"I don't believe this…"Ion mused.

Asta blinked blankly next to him, "Me neither…"

Ester remained silent, speechless. Mirka, on the other hand, chuckled to herself.

"Looks like this strange occurrence has allowed the Nightlords to rediscover their love as siblings. I don't know how long it'll last though. Keep nearby…"

The group found a comfortable spot where they could watch the event without interfering. The way the Nightlords played, it was almost as if they were kids, well, pups again. The sun slowly began to sink behind the horizon, painting the veiled sky in reds, golds and even purples. Daylight was fading and so was the dogs' energy.

Like furry preschoolers, they soon buckled down for an early bedtime in the middle of the yard. The three curled up together as a family, laying as close as possible until they seemed like just one big clump of fur. It was the cutest scene their watchers had ever seen dealing all three Crusniks at the same time; usually Abel and Seth would try to kill Cain, or vice versa. But tonight there would be peace. Until they changed back, of course…

* * *

It was sunrise and the nobles were on their toes. 

The pups had turned back to their human selves sometime close to early dawn. They hated to see what would happen if Abel found Cain so close to him and not dead. They were especially worried about what would happen to their empress if she got caught in the middle. So, they planned to rescue Seth from her brothers as soon as she woke up. Somehow they knew she would be up first.

It was mid-morning before there was any stirs in the clump. As they predicted, their empress was the first to rise. She opened her green eyes sleepily and yawned; she was still in her nightgown from the night before and didn't seem to realize her position.

Her actions unintentionally alerted her brothers; both stirred and open their eyes drowsily. Asta and Ion took that as the cue to snatch their ruler. The girl was completely bewildered when she was grabbed out of nowhere and dragged away from her marble bed.

"Wha-?" She stammered numbly.

She was immediately hushed, "Shh…" Asta shushed her. Seth only stared up at her blankly, still half-asleep.

Meanwhile, Cain was given a rude awakening as his troubles as a pup were soon forgotten and replaced with the old.

"Caaaaaaaiiiiinnnn!"

"Well… it was nice while it lasted…"

* * *

**A.N:**** The end…Thanks again for reading. Bye bye, for now…R&R**


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